Exploring the potential of betalain-engineered vegetables to impart anti-inflammatory properties

Metabolic engineering is the branch of plant biotechnology that seeks to genetically modify the metabolic pathways of plants to produce plant cultivars with improved health benefits. Recently, scientists at the Tokyo University of Science and the Iwate Biotechnology Research Center engineered potato and tomato plants to express the plant pigment betalain, which is found only in caryophyllae and higher fungi. They found that betalain tomato had anti-inflammatory effects against macrophages and colitis in mice, whereas betalain potato had no such effect.

Betalains are a class of plant pigments responsible for the characteristic reddish purple (betacyanin) or yellow (betaxanthin) color of certain fruits and vegetables. These naturally occurring water-soluble nitrogen-containing pigments are commonly used as food coloring. Recent research results have brought betalain’s powerful antioxidant capacity to the forefront, making it a potential candidate for making healthy foods and fighting various diseases. in production. Caryophylles and higher fungi. Metabolic engineering has therefore been explored to genetically modify cultivable non-genes.Caryophylles Plants improve the production and scalability of these pigments.

Although transgenic betalain-accumulating plants have been developed over the years, their application in the production of healthcare food resources has yet to be investigated.

To address this gap, a joint research team at the Tokyo University of Science (TUS) and Japan’s Iwate Biotechnology Research Center, led by Professor Genichiro Arimura of TUS, attempted to genetically engineer potatoes and tomatoes to produce betacyanin. I tried.Their aim was to test a cure effectiveness of Tomato and potato betacyanin production for mouse models of colitis and pro-inflammatory macrophages. Their findings were biotechnology and bioengineering January 26, 2023. Commenting on the results of this research, Professor Arimura said:Engineered potato tubers and tomato fruit to co-express betacyanin biosynthetic genes [genes for CYP76AD1 from Beta vulgaris, DOD (DOPA 4,5-dioxygenase) and 5GT (cyclo-DOPA 5-O-glucosyltransferase) from Mirabilis jalapa] Under control of a suitable promoter.This promoted the endogenous accumulation of betanin and isobetanin (two common types of betacyanin) in these transgenic vegetables. then it looked dark red.”

As macrophages play an important role in several inflammatory diseases, the team further investigated the production of these transgenic vegetables in macrophage-like cells (RAW264.7) following immune response stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). tested for therapeutic efficacy.They observed that the transgenic tomato fruit extract exerted higher anti-inflammatory activity compared to its wild-type counterpart. was due to-;a Tnf-α gene, in transgenic cells.

“These findings were consistent with the anti-inflammatory effects of transgenic tomato observed in the gut of a mouse model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. Suppression of DSS-stimulated transcription of proinflammatory genes, genes for Tnf-α, Il6, and Cox-2, was observed to significantly improve weight loss and disease activity indexadded Arimura, discussing results from other experiments in mice. Moreover, the additive and synergistic action of betacyanin with natural fruit components (such as lycopene in tomato) further enhanced colitis amelioration in mouse models. Interestingly, significant anti-inflammatory effects were observed with 100- to 1000-fold dilutions of transgenic tomato extract, but not with transgenic potato despite substantial production of betanin and isobetanin. A transgenic potato antagonist that works against the anti-inflammatory function of betacyanin, but has not yet been identified.

Tomatoes genetically engineered to produce betacyanine have been found to have substantial health-enhancing benefits. Although natural plant sources of betalains such as beetroot exist, these pigments exhibit poor stability at high temperatures and extreme pH. This indicates that transgenic tomato lines that produce betacyanin are likely to be effective as a health food when ingested in their raw state. ”

Professor Genichiro Arimura, Tokyo University of Science

What are the potential applications of these findings? he adds.”Although there is no commercial cultivation of edible genetically modified crops in Japan, it is expected that the use of genetically modified plants for food will be promoted through production in closed plant factories, etc., leading to the spread of genetically modified plants in Japan. Ru.”

We believe that betalain engineering will soon become a promising tool for improving commercial production of health foods.